Top 10 Best Superheroes

#10

Spawn - Al Simmons, once the U.S. government's greatest soldier and most effective assassin, was mercilessly executed by his own men. But he made a deal with a demon to return to Earth, reborn as a creature from the depths of Hell. A Hellspawn. Created by Todd McFarlane (writer/artist), Spawn is one of the longest-running and most-respected independent comics of all time. But he ain't pretty.

#9

Captain America - In World War II, patriotic (but scrawny) solider Steve Rogers volunteered as a test subject for the "Super Soldier Serum" and became a living symbol of freedom. Timely Comics' most popular character during the war, he was often depicted fighting the Axis powers. After the war ended, however, Captain America's popularity waned. He was reintroduced during the Silver Age of comics, revived from suspended animation by the superhero team the Avengers. Unfortunately, like many early superheroes, Cap suffers from lame costume syndrome (he's basically a walking flag) and his only weapon is a glorified frisbee.

#8

Thor - The Norse god of thunder first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 (Aug. 1962) in a story scripted by Larry Lieber and pencilled by Jack Kirby. One of several powerful ancient beings who dwell in a magical realm called Asgard, Thor boasts a relatively cool costume and a magic hammer (hey, it's better than a frisbee). A perennial member of the Avengers, Thor can summon the elements of the storm (lightning; rain; wind; snow), and after Odin's death, he inherited his father's awesome power, the Odinforce.

#7

Iron Man - A wealthy industrialist, Tony Stark suffered a severe heart injury when he was kidnapped by terrorists who tried to force him to build a weapon of mass destruction. Instead, he created a powered suit of armor to save his life and escape captivity. Tony would later use the suit to protect the world as the invincible Iron Man, a modern day knight in high-tech armor. Robert Downey, Jr's portrayal of Iron Man in the live action films Iron Man (2008) and Iron Man 2 (2010) was a huge box office success.

#6

Hulk - Supervising the trial of an experimental gamma bomb he had designed for the U.S. Defense Department at a nuclear research facility in New Mexico, Bruce Banner selflessly rushed onto the testing field when he noticed a teenager who had wandered into the blast zone. After shoving young Rick Jones to safety in a nearby ditch, Bruce was irradiated by the deadly gamma energy which transformed him into the living engine of destruction known as the incredible Hulk. We might edge him a little lower on this list (after all, he's just a big green guy), but we were afraid hulk might smash us. With a super power that increases in direct proportion to his anger, you don't want to tick this jolly green giant off!

#5

Superman - Created by Jerry Siegel (writer) and Joe Shuster (artist), Superman first appeared in Action Comics #1 (June 1938). He subsequently appeared in various radio serials, television programs, films, newspaper strips, and video games. With the success of his adventures, Superman helped to create the superhero genre. If he had a cooler costume, he might be #1 on this list. Still, it's hard to argue with super strength, super speed, heat vision, x-vision, ice breath, the power of flight. He's like every other superhero rolled into one. But that silly costume ... (There's a reason the producers of Smallville kept Tom Welling out of the red and blue spandex for ten seasons.)

#4

Wonder Woman - Based on the Amazons of Greek mythology, Wonder Woman was created by William Moulton Marston as a "distinctly feminist role model whose mission was to bring the Amazon ideals of love, peace, and sexual equality to a world torn by the hatred of men." She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 (December 1941). Wonder Woman is an inspiration to young girls everywhere (she can slug it out with any super villain), and Lynda Carter's portrayal in the 1970s TV show inspired the imaginations of young boys everywhere as well! (She can use that magic lasso on us any time!)

#3

Wolverine - Well, bub, he's got claws. That's right. Claws.
Everybody's favorite mutant, Wolverine has three retractable claws on each hand and a healing factor that allows him to recover from virtually any wound given sufficient time. An antihero that sometimes resorts to the use of deadly force, Wolverine brings out the rebel in all of us. He first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #180 (November 1974) and later gained popularity as a member of the X-Men. He finally earned his own solo comic book in 1988 and has been portrayed by Hugh Jackman in the popular X-Men films.

#2

Spider-Man - Created by the legendary Stan Lee (writer) and Steve Ditko (artist), Spiderman first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 (Aug. 1962). The bite of an irradiated spider granted high school student Peter Parker incredible powers. Like many heroes, Spidey's origin is steeped in tragedy (the death of Uncle Ben), but rather than brooding over his loss, Peter evolved into a trickster hero who often wears his foes down with corny jokes and one-liners. When Spider-Man first appeared in the early 1960s, teenagers in superhero comic books were usually relegated to the role of sidekick to the protagonist. The Spider-Man series broke ground by featuring Peter, a teenage high school student to whose "self-obsessions with rejection, inadequacy, and loneliness" young readers could relate. Marvel's flagship character, Spider-Man has appeared in many forms of media, including several animated and live-action television shows, syndicated newspaper comic strips, a successful series of films starring actor Tobey Maguire, and even a Broadway musical.

#1

Batman - Created Bob Kane (artist) and Bill Finger (writer), Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939). After witnessing the murder of his parents as a child, young Bruce dedicates his life to protecting the citizens of Gotham City from criminals. Why is Batman #1? Because. Unlike most heroes, he has NO POWERS, and he still kicks butt. He's just a dude, like you and me, but he has honed his body and mind into such a powerful weapon that he strikes fear in the hearts of evil-doers everywhere. While the 1960s television show was, perhaps, a low point for the Caped Crusader, he is generally portrayed as the Dark Knight, a brooding, complex character, obsessed with the oath he has sworn to protect Gotham's citizens. A cultural icon, Batman has spawned multiple tv shows, cartoons, movies, video games, action figures, and a whole family of comic books. Even his secret identity is cool. While Clark Kent is chasing down stories for the Daily Planet, Bruce Wayne poses as a billionaire playboy, industrialist, and philantropist, lounging in jacuzzi's with scantily-clad supermodels. Can't beat that.